News

(Halifax, NS) The National Basketball League of Canada handed out two business awards, nine player awards and two playoff awards at the inaugural All-Star Breakfast this morning in Halifax.

“We’re pleased with the success of the League’s inaugural season both on and off the court,” said Andre Levingston, NBL Canada President & CEO.  “These awards are an opportunity to celebrate our teams, executives and players, who have stepped up to the plate to make the 2011-12 season one that we can all be proud of.”

 

The Summerside Storm’s Duncan Shaw picked up the Ian Fowler Executive of the Year award. Shaw led the Summerside through their inaugural season, bringing 56,467 fans through the Credit Union Place with an average of over 2,800 per game.

 

Shaw and his team ensured that the community was their main focus, visiting basketball fans from tip to tip on the Island, reading to almost 1000 children through their literacy program and helping to raise nearly $20,000 for a variety of local charities.

 

“This is fantastic, we have a fantastic group. My co-owner Darren, our staff, our players, our fans and our fan support has been incredible,” said Shaw. “It means a lot to us because Billy Schurman, our GM, is a dear friend of Ian Fowler’s, so it’s very personal to us and we can’t thank the League enough.”

 

Inaugural NBL Canada Champions, the London Lightning, were named Expansion Franchise of the Year for their exceptional club performance. General Manager Taylor Brown was integral to London’s successful first season.

 

With their remarkable community engagement and support, the Lightning also drew over 2,000 fans per game and over 5,000 in game 5 of the finals, turning the Hockey town of London into basketball believers.

 

“It was an unbelievable season for the Lightning, we’re extremely pleased with how the city embraced our team, and with the level of play and competition,” said Lightning Owner, Vito Frijia “It was an unbelievable season and we can’t wait for season two.”

 

All-Star Captains Joey Haywood from the Halifax Rainmen and Eddie Smith from the London Lightning each picked up an award.

 

Smith took home the Sixth Man of the Year award after starting in less than 50% of the games played and averaged 17.2 points per game for London, and led the Lightning with 60 steals in the regular season. 

 

Haywood, a Vancouver native picked up the Canadian of the Year award for his impressive performance with the Halifax Rainmen this season with 13.9 points per game and 90 assists.

 

Al Stewart of the Summerside Storm was awarded Defensive Player of the Year, for his exception performance.

 

The Oshawa Power’s Brandon Robinson picked up Rookie of the Year. With 19.9 points per game and 715 total points for the 2011-12 season, Robinson was the League’s top scorer and was also one of four players to be named NBL Canada Player of the Week multiple times.

 

NBL All-Playoff First Team includes: Gabe Freeman, London Lightning; Eddie Smith, London Lightning; Chris Hagen, Halifax Rainmen; Royce Parran, Quebec Kebs and

Tim Ellis, London Lightning

 

NBL All-Playoff First Team includes: Tyrone Levett, Halifax Rainmen; Shamari Spears, London Lightning; Jermaine Blackburn, Saint John Mill Rats; Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs; and Shawn Daniels, London Lightning

 

Previously announced winners were London Lightning’s Micheal Ray Richardson as Coach of the Year and Gabe Freeman as Rogers Communications Inc. MVP Regular Season and the Playoff MVP.

 

Also mentioned:

 

First Team All-NBL Canada includes Saint John’s Anthony Anderson, London’s Gabe Freeman, Quebec’s Ralphy Holmes, Summerside’s Mike Williams and Halifax’s Lawrence Wright.

 

Second Team All-NBL Canada includes London’s Tim Ellis, Oshawa’s Omari Johnson, Moncton’s Trayvon Lathan, Halifax’s Tyrone Levett and Oshawa’s Brandon Robinson.

 

First team All-Defence includes Summerside’s Al Stewart, London’s Gabe Freeman, Quebec’s James “Boo” Jackson, Halifax’s Tyrone Levett and Summerside’s Mike Williams.

 

Second Team All-Defence includes Moncton’s Boubacar Coly, London’s DeAnthony Bowden, Halifax’s Joey Haywood, Quebec’s Ralphy Holmes and Moncton’s Sylvania Watkins.

 

A full list of awards and recipients is below.

 

The inaugural All-Star game tips-off at 1PM AST today. For more information on the League’s inaugural All-Star weekend, presented by Rogers Communications Inc., visit nblallstar.ca.

 

 

NBL Canada 2011-12 Awards

 

Ian Fowler Executive of the Year Award: Duncan Shaw, Summerside Storm

Selected by the Commissioner

 

Expansion Franchise Of The Year: London Lightning

Selected by President & CEO and Chief Operating Officer.

 

Coach of the Year: Micheal Ray Richardson, London Lightning

Awarded to the coach who wins the playoffs.

  

Player Awards:

 

Voted on by all seven NBL Canada Head Coaches.

 

Rogers Communications Most Valuable Player, Regular Season

Gabe Freeman, London Lightning

 

Sixth Man Of The Year (Started In Less Than 50% Of Games Participated)

Eddie Smith, London Lightning

 

Canadian Of The Year

Joey Haywood, Halifax Rainmen

 

Defensive Player Of The Year

Al Stewart, Summerside Storm

 

Rookie Of The Year

Brandon Robinson, Oshawa Power

 

First Team All-NBL Canada:

Anthony Anderson, Saint John Mill Rats

Gabe Freeman, London Lightning

Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs

Mike Williams, Summerside Storm

Lawrence Wright, Halifax Rainmen

 

Second Team All-NBL Canada:

Tim Ellis, London Lightning

Omari Johnson, Oshawa Power

Trayvon Lathan, Moncton Miracles

Tyrone Levett, Halifax Rainmen

Brandon Robinson, Oshawa Power

 

First Team All-Defence:

Al Stewart, Summerside Storm

Gabe Freeman, London Lightning

James "Boo" Jackson, Quebec Kebs

Tyrone Levett, Halifax Rainmen

Mike Williams, SUmmerside Storm

 

Second Team All-Defence:

Boubacar Coly, Moncton Miracles

DeAnthony Bowden, London Lightning

Joey Haywood, Halfiax Rainmen

Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs

Sylvania Watkins, Moncton Miracles

 

Playoff Awards:

 

Playoff MVP: Gabe Freeman, London Lightning

 

NBL ALL-PLAYOFF FIRST TEAM

Gabe Freeman, London Lightning

Eddie Smith, London Lightning

Chris Hagen, Halifax Rainmen

Royce Parran, Quebec Kebs

Tim Ellis, London Lightning

 

NBL ALL-PLAYOFF SECOND TEAM

Tyrone Levett, Halifax Rainmen

Shamari Spears, London Lightning

Jermaine Blackburn, Saint John Mill Rats

Ralphy Holmes, Quebec Kebs

Shawn Daniels, London Lightning

 

Media Contact:

 

Bailey Williams

Director of Public Relations, National Basketball League of Canada

Phone: 647.388.9669

E-mail: media@nblcanada.ca

 

For more information on the League, visit www.nblcanada.ca. Connect with us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nblcanada , Facebook atwww.facebook.com./nblcanada or Tumblr at www.nblcanada.tumblr.com.